DirectAdmin provides hosting administration through its administrator, reseller and user levels. A current installation should use a supported Linux release and the official installer, rather than a pinned CentOS-era command from an old tutorial.
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Check access and requirements
Use a clean self-managed server that you are authorized to administer. Check DirectAdmin system requirements and licence status immediately before installation, including the exact OS release and architecture. Prepare a valid hostname, network configuration and console recovery access. Do not install over another hosting panel or an existing production web stack. Keep an off-server backup of any data that must survive.
01 Install DirectAdmin on a supported Linux server
- Connect through SSH with an authorized root shell. Confirm the OS, available memory and disk space, DNS resolution and package repositories. Apply necessary base-system updates before the panel installation.
- Download the current installer over HTTPS into a root-only working directory and review it: Use the current vendor installation options for your chosen web and database stack rather than assuming an old default matches your needs.Command example
curl -fSL https://download.directadmin.com/setup.sh -o directadmin-setup.sh less directadmin-setup.sh - Run the supported installation workflow. The web-based installer can be started with
sh directadmin-setup.shand prints a temporary setup URL. Treat its token as a secret and use a trusted restricted connection. If you choose the CLI licence-key method, follow the current official command and keep the key out of tickets, screenshots and shared shell history. - Complete the installer prompts and wait for the process to finish. Review failures before retrying, and do not run a second panel installer concurrently.
- Store the resulting administrator credentials securely. Configure HTTPS for the intended panel hostname before using it over an untrusted network. The usual DirectAdmin service port is
2222; apply targeted firewall access rather than opening every port. - Review administrator contact information, nameservers, backup destinations, update policy and the installed service stack. Create a limited test user before deploying real customer accounts.
Common questions
Can I keep using an old CentOS installation command?
Use the current compatibility matrix and installer workflow. A command that downloaded successfully years ago does not prove the OS or bundled software remains supported.
Is the first login the end of setup?
No. Test DNS, TLS, backups, mail policy and account limits before customer use. A functioning login screen does not demonstrate that the hosting services are securely configured or recoverable.
Confirm the expected result
Confirm administrator login and a test user login, then test website delivery, a database connection and any mail functions you intend to operate. Verify both backup creation and a test restoration. Keep the installation notes so another authorized administrator can maintain the stack.
Resolve setup problems
If licensing fails, verify the active licence and its current restrictions with the vendor or provider. If setup fails on an unsupported OS or conflicting software, use a clean supported destination rather than patching random installer checks. Preserve logs and redact licence keys and generated credentials before requesting help.